Deciduous Forest Ecosystem Flashcards
Deciduous Forests
What is a deciduous forest?
Why are deciduous forests important?
Deciduous forests are most important as habitat areas. Many wildlife species rely on deciduous forests and trees as their
primary sources of food and shelter. In Wyoming, most deciduous trees grow close to streams, rivers, or in moist areas.
Their root systems help keep the soil from eroding and being washed away. Deciduous forests are also pleasing to our
human senses, especially in the fall when their leaves turn yellow, orange, and red. They give us a place to enjoy the
outdoors and observe nature. Unlike some coniferous forests in Wyoming, deciduous forests are not harvested on a
commercially large scale.
Where are deciduous forests in Wyoming?
Near and along river and stream courses, adjacent to meadows and wetlands, in sheltered valleys, and in
mountainous areas where there is regular precipitation or adequate runoff. Deciduous trees are very dependent
on water.
A forest that is dominated by trees that lose their leaves in the fall is called a deciduous forest. Wyoming
deciduous tree species include aspen, cottonwood, box elder, ash, mountain ash, poplars, willows, fruit trees such
as the wild plum and less commonly oak and maple. Deciduous forests are often called ‘hardwood” forests.
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Deciduous Forest Ecosystem Flashcards
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Bobcat Red Fox
Striped Skunk White-tailed Deer
Big Brown BatMasked Shrew
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Wild Turkey White-breasted Nuthatch
MillipedeNorthern Goshawk
Great Horned OwlBullocks Oriole
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Sticky GeraniumWild Strawberry
Green AshQuaking Aspen
The Sun
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Red FoxBobcat
Name:
Scientific Name:
Predators:
Prey or Food:
Did you know?
Bobcat Name: Red Fox
Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes
Predators: Raptors, mountain lions, bobcats
Prey or Food:
Did you know?
Lynx rufus
Mountain lion, raptors
Rabbits, small mammals
It is rare to see these cats
because they are "nocturnal" or
active at night.
Mephitis mephitis
Predators:
Rodents, birds, seeds, fruits
Fox will leap into the air and
pounce on its prey.
Raptors
Name:
Bat's wings are actually double layers
of skin stretched across modified
hand bones this allows them
excellent maneuverability.
Beetles, moths, other insects
Striped Skunk White-tailed Deer
Name: Masked Shrew
Prey or Food: Plants, seeds, nuts, fruits
Did you know? This deer uses its tail as an alert
to "flag" danger.
Prey or Food:
Name: White-tailed Deer
Scientific Name: Odocoileus virginianus
Predators:
Small mammals, eggs, insects, fruits
Did you know? The skunks repellent odor or
"musk" is also irritating to skin
and eyes.
Big Brown BatMasked Shrew
Humans, Mountain lions, wolves, (adults),
bobcat, coyotes, raptors (young)
Striped Skunk
Scientific Name:
Did you know?
Name: Big Brown Bat
Scientific Name: Eptesicus fuscus
Predators: Owls
Prey or Food:
Did you know?
Scientific Name: Sorex cinerus
Predators: Raptors, bobcats, fox
Prey or Food: Insects
Shrews don't have a cheekbone,
making it easier to root around
the forest floor for insects.
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Birds, mammals, bats
Birds, rodents, other small mammals
Did you know? This raptor is a fierce predator
with speedy maneuverability
through dense forest.
Did you know? Although their name means
"thousand feet", they often have
less than 200.
Prey or Food:
Prey or Food: Decomposing matter
Predators: Predators:
Scientific Name: Accipiter gentilis
Predators: Predators: Raptors, snakes
Scientific Name: Diplopodia class
Name: Northern Goshawk Name: Millipede
Northern Goshawk Millipede
Did you know? Did you know?
Name: Bullocks Oriole Name: Great Horned Owl
These colorful birds build a
pendant-shaped nest that hangs
from branches.
The "horns" on this owl are
actually feathered tufts used for
communication and camoflauge.
Larger birds and mammals prey
on eggs, raptors prey on adults
Prey or Food: Fruit, nectar, insects, spiders
Prey or Food: Mammals (including skunks), birds, bats
Coyotes, bobcats, raptors, snakes
At dusk turkeys will fly into the
limbs of trees to roost.
White-breasted Nuthatch Wild Turkey
Name: White-breasted Nuthatch Name: Wild Turkey
Scientific Name: Sitta carolinensis Scientific Name: Meleagris gallopavo
Seeds, nuts, insects
Bullocks Oriole Great Horned Owl
Scientific Name: Icterus bullockii Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
Nuthatches use their slightly
upcurved beaks to seek insects
beneath tree bark.
Did you know?
Predators: Raptors, mammals, snakes Predators:
Prey or Food: Prey or Food:
Did you know?
Insects in the spring and summer,
seeds in the fall and winter
Bobcats, snakes, black bears,
other raptors (mainly young and
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Mammals, birds
Plants use the sun's energy to grow through a process
known as photosynthesis. Because plants are the
beginning of all food chains, all plants and animals
transfer the sun's energy when they eat.
Prey or Food: Water, sun, soil, air Prey or Food: Water, sun, soil, air
Predators:
Did you know?
The Sun
Name: Sticky Geranium
Scientific Name: Geranium viscosissimum
Name:
Mammals, birds, insects Predators:
Although smaller than those
found in stores, these fruits are
much sweeter.
This plant's seeds are carried in
pods that resemble stork bills.
Water, sun, soil, air
Predators: Mammals, birds Predators: Mammals, birds
Did you know? This tree turns golden yellow in
the fall.
Sticky Geranium
Did you know? Aspens can form huge colonies of
clones that grow up from its
roots.
Water, sun, soil, air Prey or Food:
Scientific Name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Quaking Aspen Green Ash
Name: Quaking Aspen Name: Green Ash
Scientific Name:
Prey or Food:
Wild Strawberry
Scientific Name: Fragaria virginiana
Wild Strawberry
Populous tremuloides
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